Automatic solar panel cleaning system based on Arduino for dust removal

Abstract

Solar panel is vulnerable to accumulated dust on its surface. The efficiency of the solar panel gradually decreases because of dust accumulation. In this paper, an Arduino based solar panel cleaning system is designed and implemented for dust removal. The proposed solar panel cleaner is waterless, economical and automatic. Two-step mechanism used in this system consists of an exhaust fan which works as an air blower and a wiper to swipe the dust from the panel surface. a dc motor is used to power the wiper. Since, the system does not need water to clean solar panel, it avoids the wastage of water and effective in desert areas. Experimental results show that the proposed cleaning system can operate with an efficiency of 87-96% for different types of sand